Twisting machine and method



Dec. 24, 1940.

H. P. WELCH TWISTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 30, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3mm flaw. WM

1940- H. P. WELCH 2,226,352

TWISTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 30, .1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec-24, 1940. P, WELCH TWISTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 30, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 24, 1940. w c 2,226,352

TWISTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed 001;. 30, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 4%. 4' 52 l I r n :1!

H ij l iei Dec. 24, 1940. H. P. WELCH 2,226,352

TWISTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Oct. 30, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES TWISTING MACHINE AND METHOD Herman P. Welcli, Union City, Ind., assignor to Backatay Welt Company, Union City, Ind., a

corporation of Indiana Application October 30, 1939, SerialNo. 302,033 19 Claims. (Cl. 57-32) My invention relates to the production of cord, reed, rope, yarn and the like from strip paper or equivalent material by twisting, and more particularly provides a noveland improved method and machine for performing the twisting operation.

The product of the machine and method, which will be hereinafter designated a cord, is used in numerous arts and is made in different forms depending on the use to which it is to be put. To simplify the explanation of the present invention, this specification will describe a method and a machine for making a typical form of cord. Variations in the method and the mechanism, to produce modified forms of product, are within the eliminate these manufacturing difllculties and improve the product.

Heretofore the best cords have been made from paper strip that was wetted during or Just prior to the twisting operation; The water was necessarily carried into the product and its subsequent evaporation worked undesirable changes in the cord. The difficulties resulting from the twisting of paper in a wet condition were manifold. It was impractical to dry the newly twisted wet cord before winding it on the large reel on which the product is delivered to the consumer. The cord was therefore wound on the reel in wet condition and it dried unevenly. While the exterior of some of the cord would dry fairly well, the interior, along the axis of the cord, would remain wet for a long period of time. The part of a long cord which was initially received on the reel might never dry appreciably since it was almost perfectly protected from the atmosphere by the numerous overlying layers of subsequently wound cord. Cord reeled in wet condition strongly tended to take a set conforming to the curvature about which it was wound. The addition of water increased considerably the weight of the product, which is in and of itself a serious objection when large quantities are being handled, and the diillculty was aggravated by the universal practice of selling paper cord on a weight basis. A fifty pound reel of wet wound cord would) contain an average of ten pounds of water, for which the purchaser would pay at the paper poundage rate, and after a period of storage the partially dried cord would weigh less, the difference between the original and final weights constituting a direct loss to the purchaser. A further disadvantage of a wet wound cord results from its increased diameter. A longer length of dry cord can be wound on a given reel and its weight and length will remain substantially constant.

An important feature of the invention therefore is the provision of means and a method of twisting paper strip without materially wetting it. In lieu of wetting, the invention substitutes a treatment which softens the material better than can be done by wetting. The newly twisted cord is substantially dry and, even if reeled immediately, remains practically perfectly uniform in respect of size, weight and surface texture and appearance.

According to the invention steam is substituted for the water treatment of the prior art. twisting of the strip is effected in an atmosphere of live steam which softens the paper to a condition in which it can be readily twisted to take a permanent set while remaining quite dry.

As will be explained, an alternative procedure, or a modflcation of the essential process,comprises pulling the newly twisted cord through a forming and polishing die while its exterior surface only is' wetted. The water through which the already twisted cord is subjected but momentarily in this form of the process does not penetrate the cord and functions principally to lubricate it in its passage through the die and eliminate the loud screeching noise that the otherwise dry rubbing surfaces of cord and die would produce. The surface wetting also aids the die in finishing the cord with a dense, glossy surface. Becausethe steamed cord is hot when this water is applied, and because the water also is preferably hot and does not penetrate the cord, and because substantially all of it is rubbed off by the die, the cord is quite dry by the time, which may be only a few seconds later, it becomes wound on the receiving ,reel. This use of water in my process is therefore very different from, and not to be confused with, the prior art wetting of the strip to be twisted.

Other objects and advantages of the invention are concerned with improving details of the method and machine and will be clear from the following description of the preferred method and means.

In the accompanying drawings, which depicts a machine which I have built and successfully operated and which therefore may be taken as illustratlve of one mode of practicing the invention, and which is not to be considered as in any way limiting the scope of the claims to the precise arrangement shown,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the machine, taken from what maybe regarded as the righthand side;

Fig. 2 is a similar view taken from the lefthand side; I

The

Fig. 3 is a top plan view;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the front end;

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view taken through part of the front end structure of the 5 machine, along the line 5--5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of a detail of the mechanism for threading the cord product on the receiving reel, showing the parts in one position;

Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. '7 but shows the parts in another position; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of another detail of the threading mechanism.

In this machine, a main horizontal frame or bed is provided by two angle iron sides l0 and II, connected by front and rear end bars l2 and I3, and mounted on four legs l4. Additional main frame cross bars l5 and I5 connect the sides near the front and rear end bars to form a front and a rear bed, respectively. Mounted at the opposite sides of the rear bed are pedestals l1, [9, between which, fairly close to pedestal I1, is a third pedestal IS. A short longitudinal frame member 20 projects from the bars l2 and I5 in the line of the pedestal l9, and from the inner end of this member'ZD a post 2| rises, and a similar post 22 is mounted directly opposite it on the side memher l9. Lengthwise bars 23 and 24 connect the post 2| and pedestal l9 and the post 22 and pedestal [1, respectively, and a pair of cross bearers 25 on the bars 23 and 24 form a base fora main driving motor 26. This assembly completes the horizontal framing of the machine.

At the front end of the machine I provide a vertical frame formed of a righthand side upright 21 and a lefthand side upright 28 connected across their tops by a cross bar 29 and bottomed on the sides In and H, conveniently between end bar I2 and additional main frame cross bar l5. Diagonal braces 35 and 3| connect the top cross bar 29 with the pedestals l1 and I8, respectively. This assembly completes the main vertical framing at thefront end of the machine.

Mounted in the two framings are the operating parts of the machine, comprising a supply of paper strip, a steaming chamber, twisting mechanism, traction sheaves, reeling mechanism including a threading device, and drive connections from the 7 motor 25, all of which, with certain ancillary devices, will now be described.

The motor 25 is connected by a belt 32 with pulley 33 loose on a short main drive shaft 94 which is journaled in a supplemental upright frame. This frame consists of a base 35 which is mounted on bars l2 and I5 and which may be made as a single integral casting with risers 35, 31, and a connecting top 38. There is a bearing for the main drive shaft 34 in the riser 31,-and another in a bracket 39 which is bolted to that riser. A hand wheel 4|! which is fast on the outer end of the shaft 34 has clutch teeth which cooperate with clutch teeth in the hub 4| of pulley 33. A clutch handle 42 slides the driving member 4| of the clutch into or out of engagement with the driven member". Thus the shaft 34 is powered at the will of the operator, by the continuously operating motor 25. Fast on the inner end of the shaft 34 is a bevel gear 43 for driving the twisting element, which is a heavy plate 44 having a hub 45 socketed in the top 38 of the supplemental upright frame. The hub may be counterbored to receive antifriction bearings 45, and the inner edge of the hub is provided with bevel gear teeth 41 meshed with the gear 43. An inverted conical forming element 45 sets in anaxial opening in the plate 44 and pro-' iects through the hub therein and through an aligned opening in the top 33 of the supplemental 5 upright frame, and a replaceable die 49 is mounted in the lower end of the conical forming element. It will be apparent that a strip of paper carried by the plate 44 will be twisted into cord form by rotation of the plate and in such form 10 may be pulled through the die 49.

To mount a supply of paper on the plate 44, I provide the plate with a pair of upright posts 50, 50, connected by a top crow member 5| which carries an upwardly P jecting stem 52 Jour- 15 nalled in the cross bar 29 of the main vertical frame. The axis of this stem is aligned with the bore of die 49, so that the plate can be rotated about this axis. Because the posts 55 must bear the weight of a considerable quantity of paper 20 strip material and transmit this weight to the plate 44, which of course should be well balanced for smooth rotation, I find it convenient to fix the posts in the plate symmetrically on opposite sides of a diameter of the plate 44. Bearing 25 blocks 53, 54 are slidable on the posts, and each block has a laterally projecting bracket which mounts the shaft 55 of a disc 55 of rolled paper strip material. A set screw fixes the position of each block on its post, and the blocks are arranged so that their brackets project oppositely, each toward the plane of that diameter of the plate 44, on opposite sides of which the posts 50, 50 are set. The shaft 55 of the paper disc is thus in the plane of that diameter, or it intersects it 35 at the middle of the disc, so that the disc is sym-' metrically arranged with respect to the plate, as are the posts 59, 50, and the weight of all these parts is well balanced on the disc. This arrangement also disposes the top cross member 5| sym- 40 metrically across the diameter in question, and brings the center point of the member 5|, which is in the axis of the stem 52, into alignment with the axis of rotation of the plate 44.

A drag weight 51, in the form of a fairly heavy 45 bar 51, isloosely slidable on the posts 50, 50 to rest on the disc and prevent backlash of the paper, and parallel side guards 58, 58, depend from the shaft 55 to a guide roller or fixed rod 59 which connects blocks 50, 59 fixed on the posts 50 about midway between the axis of the disc and the top surface of plate 44. The guards constrain the unwinding ribbon 5l against running crooked, and the member 59 guides the run of the ribbon straight down into the cone 4a. 55

A steam chamber is provided by a receptacle having a side wall 52 whose inturned annular flange 53 is bolted to the supplemental upright frame near its top 39. The wall 52 extends upwardly, enclosing the plate 44, cone 49, and that 60 portion of the ribbon 5| which is below the member 59. A cover 54 is clamped on the posts 59, 50 between sleeves 55, 55, and the blocks 50, 50 so as to rotate with the plate 44 and the posts and substantially close the receptacle except for a small 65 necessary clearance between the periphery of the cover and the wall 52 and except also for a narrow slot just below the member 55 which passes the ribbon 5|. Steam is admitted to the chamber through a supply duct 55 and is dis- 70 charged therefrom through a tube 51. To provide access to the interior of the chamber, a portion 55 of the cover 54 may be hinged to the body of the cover, as shown at 59.

In the operation of those parts of the machine 75 which have thus far been described. steam fills the chamber 82 to condition the paper strip for twisting, and the steam atmosphere is kept hot and dry by providing a constant supply to replace that which is discharged through tube 81. This tube empties into a cup I8, supported in the supplemental upright frame which mounts the rotating parts and the cup contains a polishing die II aligned with die 48 for rubbing the cord 12 into which the ribbon 8| has been twisted. As has been explained at the outset of this specification, it is desirable to lubricate the passage of the cord through the die II, and I have also found that moisture applied to the surface only of this cord just prior to its passage through the die materially improves the quality of its surface. Water condensing in the drain cup I8 supplies this moiswhich .cooperates with an upper level drain tube I to discharge water from the cup 18.

It is of course necessary to provide means for pulling thecord I2 through the mechanism which has been described and for winding it on a reel. I shall now proceed briefly to explain preferred forms of pulling and reeling instrumentalities.

After leaving the die II the cord passes over a pair of double grooved sheaves 18, 11, being looped completely around each, so that the friction of the hold is sufficient to pull the cord through the dies when the sheaves are rotated. From the inner sheave I'I the cord passes through a guide 18 to a reeling mechanism which will be described hereinafter.

The sheaves are driven by a shaft I8 on which the sheave ll is fast. This shaft has fast on it a sprocket 88 carrying a chain 8| which drives a similar sprocket 82 fast on shaft 83 which carries the other sheave 16. The shafts l8 and 88 are journalled in the framing of the machine, as by bearings 84 and 85for shaft 83, and bearings 88 and 81 for shaft I8. Shaft 88 is driven by its sprocket 88, whose chain 88 is trained overv a smaller sprocket 88, which, along with larger sprocket 8| with which it is fast, is loose on shaft. 19. A chain 82 drives sprocket 8I from a small sprocket 83 fast on main drive shaft 84. To.re capitulate, therefore, shaft 84 drives the sheaves through sprocket 88, chain82, connected sprockets 8i and 88 which are loose on shaft I8, chain 88, and sprocket 88 which drives sheave shaft 88, and the companion sheave shaft "is driven by chain 8| trained over sprockets 82 and 88.

It will be recognized from what has been said and from the showing in the drawings that the sheave drive shafts turn much more slowly than main drive shaft 34. In practice, of course, the ratio of these two shafts is worked out to cooperate with the diameter of the sheaves and the ratio of bevel gears 48 and 41 to cause the cord to be pulled through the dies in synchronism with a desired tightness of twist.

The reeling mechanism comprises a shaft 84 formed in two halves, one journalled in pedestal I1 and the other in pedestal I8. The two halves are aligned axially and are connected by a known type of slip coupling designated generally 85. This coupling consists essentially of two juxtaposed wheels, each fast on the end of one of the shaft halves. A friction band 88 disposed about the peripheries of the two wheels may be tightened or loosened by a screw 81, so that when the outer half of the shaft is driven at a constant speed the inner haifmay. turn with gradually decreasing speed.

The innerhalf of the shaft carries a mandrel 88 with a pair of horns 88. Aligned with the mandrel and slidable in a sort of tailstock I88 mounted onpedestal I8 is a dead center spindle III which, like the mandrel, is inserted into the bore of a reel I82 which becomes clamped between the mandrel and the spindle and which turns with the mandrel by torque of the horns 88 against the cross arms of the reel. As the reel fills with cord, slippage 'in the coupling 85 proceeds at an increased rate, so that a constant rate of drive may be used,v and this drive rate is of course sufficient to keep slack out of the run of cord between the reel and the guide I8 at all times, even when the diameter of the reeled cord is at a minimum.

The reel mandrel is driven from shaft 18 by chain I88 which is trained over sprockets I84 and I88, fast on shaft 18 and the outer half of shaft 84, respectively.

To thread the cord from end to end of the reel so that the convolutions will be laid up in smooth layers, I provide mechanism which will now be described. From the guide I8 the cord passes through a generally similar guide I88 mounted on a nut block I8'I which isthreaded on a long screw I88 having unthreaded end portions journalledin bearings I88 mounted on frame side II and on frame side I8, respectively, the latter bearing being positioned just inwardly of a short upright II8 which rises from frame side I8 to rotation of the screw. Mechanism is provided for.

rotating the screw first in one direction and then in the other so asto'l'a'y the cord in smooth, full layers on the reel. The screw is rotated by chain II2 which is'trained over a sprocket H3 on the outer half of shaft 84 and over sprocket II4 on a stub shaft 5' journalled in the upright II8. Fast with sprocket H4 is a pinion H8, and below this pinion and spaced from it is a similar pinion III fast on the end of screw I88. A plate H8 is pivoted on the unthreaded end of screw I88 and mounts two small meshingpinions H8 and I 28. These small pinions are of a diameter which is larger than the. space separating the pinions H8 and I I1. The pinion H8 is meshed with pinion Ill and the pinion I28 is out of engagement with pinion 1. Since the plate II8 which mounts pinions I I8 and I28 rocks onthe axis of pinion II], it isclear, as can be'seen from Fig. 9, that when the plate is rocked pinions Ill and H8 will remain meshed, while pinion I28 will move into and out of engagement with pinion II8. It will also be observed that, since pinion H8 is larger in diameterthan the space between pinions H8 and Ill, rocking of the plate to the left as viewed in Fig. 9 will not only disengage pinion I28 from pinion H8 but will mesh pinion II8 withpinion II8. Since pinion H8 is driven by sprocket H4 and chain II2, its'driving effect on screw I88 will be righthand or lefthand depending on whether both pinions I I8 and I28 are in the train,

as shown in Fig. 9, or the single pinion I I9 meshes with both pinions II8 and-I II, as will be the case if the plate II 8 be rocked to the left from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 9.

A link I2I is connected at one end to the plate to accomplish the required pushing and pulling action for reversing the screw. The other end of this link is pivoted to a short lever I22 fulcrumed at I23 on frame side member III, and a second link I24 connects the other arm of this lever with a second lever I25 fulcrumed at'I25 on a shelf I21bolted on the member It. This lever I25 rocks between stops I28, I 29 formed on the shelf. Obviously, rocking of lever I25 from one stop to the other will operate the linkage to reverse the direction of rotation of the screw I, as will be observed from a comparison of Figs. 7, 8 and 9, Figs. 7 and 8 showing the linkage in its two positions. 7

It is of course necessary to snap the linkage alternately from one position to the other as the cord convolutions approach the ends of the reel. This is accomplished by the rod I3II which is jointed at one end to the free end 'of lever I25 and which has its other end loose in a block I3I fast on the end of a push rod I32 which is slidable through a bearing I33 on the shelf I21 and through a flnger I34 projecting from nut block I012 The push rod I32 extends transversely across practically the whole bed of the machine, immediately in front of the guide bar III. Slidable stops I35, I35 are adjustable on the push rod byset screws, and are arranged to be engaged by the finger I34 in its traverse across the machine so that the rod I32 will reciprocate to move the block I3I between its Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 positions. A compression spring I31 around rod I30 between block I3I and the free end of lever I25 serves to bias the lever strongly against one or the other of stops I28, I29 until movement of rod I 32 carries rod I30 and lever I25 past dead center, whereupon expansion of spring I31 quickly snaps lever I25 from engagement with one of the two stops into engagement with the other. The manner in which this movement of lever I25 is transmitted to plate H8 and the resulting effect on the direction of rotation of screw Illil will, it is thought,

will be evident from the foregoing description. It

will be recognized that the machine is entirely automatic, so that a number of them can be arranged in a battery under the attention of a .single operator. The very dry reeled product is superior to the best prior art cord known to me. It can be put to immediate use for any purpose for which such cord is commonly employed, or it can be stored indefinitely without danger of mould or change in its properties or condition resulting from evaporation of moisture.

As explainedin the foregoing specification and as pointed out in the appended claims, the invention is said to be concerned with the production of cord from paper strip by a steam treatment. These terms are not to be strictly construed. Thus, the "cord may be a stout rope, a thin yarn, a stiff reed, or other generally analogous body. The term paper includes all equivalent strip material that can be hot steamed to effect softening without swelling. The steam is not necessarily generated --from water or water alone, but the term is intended to include the vapor phase of other normal liquids and solids as well which may be introduced at high temperature into the steaming chamber to introduce into the strip, in addition to the required softness, some other specially desired property, such as color, lustre, lubricity, etc. Various changes from the described embodiment of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in this art who require special types of product.

I claim:

1, A method of twisting a paper strip into cord 5 form which includes twisting the strip in an atmosphere of live steam and pulling the twisted cord through a forming die while still subjected to said atmosphere.

2. A method of twisting a paper strip into cord 10 form which includes twisting the strip in an atmosphere of livesteam and immediately thereafter subjecting the twisted cord to circumferential rubbing and polishing contact with a forming die while maintaining the cord in said atmosphere. l5

3. A method of twisting a paper strip into cord form which includes p the strip into a chamber, maintaining an atmosphere of live steam in said chamber, twisting the strip into cord form in said chamber, and pulling the cord 20 out of said chamber through a polishing and forming die. v

4. A method of twisting a paper strip into cord form which includes maintaining an atmosphere of live steam in a chamber, posing the strip 25 through said chamber sufllciently fast substantially to prevent the strip absorbing water, and twisting the strip into cord form while in the chamber. a

5. A method of twisting a paper strip into cord 30 form which includes maintaining an atmosphere of live steam in a chamber, passing the strip through the chamber and simultaneously twisting the strip sumciently fast substantially to prevent wetting of the interior of the cord, and there- 35 after pulling the cord through a polishing and forming die while subjecting its outer surface to a moistening agent.

6. A method of twisting a paper strip into cord form which includes maintaining an atmosphere 0 of live steam in a chamber, passing the strip through the chamber and simultaneously twisting the strip sufficiently fast substantially to prevent wetting of the interior of the cord, immediately thereafter pulling the cord through a polishing 4.5 and forming die, discharging steam from the chamber, and directing said discharge. as wet steam and water vapor, on to the cord just anterior to its passage through the die. 7. A method of twisting a paper strip into cord form which includes maintaining an atmosphere of live steam in a chamber, passing the strip through the chamber and simultaneously twisting the strip sufliciently fast substantially to prevent, wetting of the interior of the cord, and immediately thereafter pulling the cord through a polishing and forming die while wetting .the exterior onlyofthecord. 8. A machine for twisting a paper strip into cord form comprising at receptacle forming a 00 steam chamber, means mounting a roll of paper strip adjacent the chamber, means supplying steam to the chamber, means pulling the strip through the chamber, and means twisting the strip in the chamber.

9.Amachinefortwistingapaperstripinto cord form comprising a receptacle forming a steam chamber, means supplying steam to the chamber, means rotating within the chamber, a die fixed in the rotating means, means mounting a roll of paper strip on the rotating means, and means pulling the strip from said roll through said die while the mounting and rotating means are rotating together.

10. A machine for twisting a paper strip into 7:

cord form comprising a support having an opening, a plate mounted for rotation on the support and provided with an opening located in the line of its axis of rotation and aligned with the opening in the support, a casing enclosing the plate to form a steam chamber, means carried by the plate to mount a roll of paper strip, means driving the plate to twist the strip in the steam chamber, and means pulling the twisted strip through said openings,

11. A machine for twisting a paper strip into cord form comprising a support having an opening, a plate mounted for rotation on the support and provided with an opening located in the line of its axis of rotation and aligned with the opening in the support, a casing surrounding the periphery of the plate and a cover mounted on and spaced from the plate whereby said support, casing and cover cooperate-to form a generally closed steam chamber containing the plate, means carried by the plate and projecting beyond the cover to mount a roll of paper strip, means driving the plate to twist the strip in the chamber, and means pulling the twisted strip through said openings.

12. A machine for twisting a paper strip into cord form comprising a vertical support having an upwardly facing socket provided with a central opening, a plate having a centralhub rotatably mounted in said socket and having an axial opening aligned with the opening in the socket, a casing mounted on the support surrounding the plate and having an open top, a closure, for the top of the casing carried by the plate and cooperating with the casing to provide a steam chamber, means for supplying steam to said chamber, means carried by the plate and extending through the closure to mount aroll of paper strip above the closure, means for pulling the strip through a slot in the closure and through said aligned openings, and means driving the plate to twist'the strip in the chamber.

13. A machine for twisting a paper strip into cord form comprising a vertical support having an upwardly facing socket providedwith a central opening, a plate having a central hub projecting into said opening and provided with gear teeth and having an axial opening, portions of the socket and plate about the periphery, of the hub cooperating to support the plate for rotation in the socket, a casing mounted on the support surrounding the plate and having an open top, a closure for the top of the casing carried by the plate and cooperating with the casing to provide a steam chamber, means for supplying steam to said chamber, means carried by the plate and rotating the plate to twist the strip, and a weight extending through the closure to mount a roll of paper strip above the closure, means for pulling the strip through a slot in the closure and through said openings, and a gearv ioumalled in the sup-' port and engaging the hub teeth for rotating the plate to twist the strip in the chamber.

chamber, means for pulling the strip through the chamber and thereafter through said die, means for twisting the strip in the chamber prior to its passage through the die, means supplying steam to the chamber, and means draining steam from the chamber and directing said drained steam on to the twisted strip at the point of its passage through-the die.

15. A machine fortwisting a paper strip into cord form comprising a receptacle forming a steam chamber, means mounting a roll of paper strip beyond one side of the chamber, a forming and polishing die beyond the other side of the chamber, a cup surrounding said die, means for pulling the strip through the chamber and thereafter through said cup and die, means for twisting the strip in the chamberprior to its passage through the cup, means supplying steam to the chamber, and means draining steam from the chamber and directing said drained steam into the cup.

16. A machine for twisting a paper strip into cord form comprisinga receptacle forming a. steam chamber, means mounting a roll of paper strip beyond one side of the, chamber, a forming and polishing die beyond the other side of the chamber, a cup surrounding said die, means for pulling the strip through the chamber and thereafter through said cup and die, means for twisting the strip in the chamber prior to its passage through the cup, means supplying steam to the chamber, means draining steam from the chamber and directing said drained steam into the cup, and means regulating the discharge of said drained steam from the cup whereby a portion of said steam will condense in the cup and a predetermined quantity of water'can be maintained therein.

17. A -machine for twisting a paper stripinto cord form comprising an upright frame having an upper cross member, a plate mounted for rotation on the frame, a die mounted on the plate and in its axis of rotation, a pair of standards mounted on the plate, bearings carried by the standards for joumalling the shaft of a,disc of rolled paper strip, means journalled in the upper cross member and connecting the standards, means pulling the strip through the die, and means rotating the plate to twist the strip.

18. A machine for twisting a paper strip into cord form-comprising an upright frame havin an upper crossmember. a plate mounted for rotation on the frame, a die mounted on the plate and in its axis of rotation, a pair of standards mounted on the plate, bearings carried by the standards for journalling the shaft of a disc of rolled paper strip, means joumalled in the upper cross member and connecting the standards, means pulling the strip through the die, means vertically slidable on the standards and bearin on the disc to retard the unrolling of paper strip therefrom.

19. A machine for twisting a paper strip into cord form comprising a heavy plate capable of i acting as a flywheel, means for rotating the plate about a vertical axis, a die carried by the plate in the line of its axis of rotation for passing the twisted cord, posts rising from the plate, and a horizontal spindle carried by the posts for mounting a disc of strip paper substantially symmetrical to the of the plate.

I HERMAN P. WELCH. 

